I've got the need, for speed

I was just wondering how many speed demons we might have out there. For me, it was a miracle that I lived to be 21 - dirt bikes, sports cars, street bikes, cafe racers, sand rails, dune buggies, you name it, I have probably driven one way too fast. I mean I have done a few really stupid things - like 145+ mph in a 240Z that was not really equipped for such speeds, and 120 MPH on a Honda 750 while racing through city streets. I also took a turn in my Z so fast that I had it up on one wheel...it came really close to rolling into the side of a hill at 60mph+. I learned later that this very stunt kills a lot of Z drivers. One of my friends in high school lost an arm in much the same way. Two other friends were killed.

In spite of the risks, and in spite of being otherwise responsible people, when young and reckless some of us will do these things. I guess this may be much the same as the impulse for all of the extreme sports that are so popular now.

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It's a strange impulse to always go faster. I always thought it was just the thrill of the speed; but why the thrill...I guess because we are close to death? I'm not sure if this qualifies more as a death wish, or maybe even some kind of defiance of death. Personally, it always seemed like I did it just because it was so fun.

hoho i remmber mine , i was on my mountain bike, got hit by a car on side then another. on a main road. (cross section)

luckly i was only blackout for a sec but nothing more. then i was transfer to local police station (not hosipital) to find out the driver who wanna muder me, simtaneouly i was faund $50 for not wearing a hemlt.

That's a monster! I would imagine that the front end stays off the ground from 0-60, with you hanging over the handlebars?

Have you ever come close to flipping over? Also, you admit the 0-60 in 3, don't tell me that you have never tried to go any faster... You don't buy a bike like that to go 60.

I knew of a guy that bought a Ninja or similar back in the late 80's I think... It scared him so bad on his first day that pretty much just parked it and sold it. I guess that when he hit a bump, he twisted the throttle and was just about thrown over backwards in the middle of busy traffic.

I would probably get another dirt bike...we definitely have plenty of room to ride around here...but I have no doubt that I would just push until I got seriously hurt...again.... We have talked about a touring bike but it rains so much here that a street bike would be somewhat impractical. Besides, my scariest moments were all on street bikes. In the dirt, at least when you go down you don't get run over by Freightliner Trucks...or course you do bounce a lot.

and what good are they anyway if you can't go really, really, really fast?

No speed demon, anyway this reminds me of what happened to me a year ago when my brother bought a Suzuki RG 125. Of course I had to try it out on this beautyful little mountain road passing right by our house. Unfortunately it was raining and I've only sat on a motorbike a few times before and never on one with strong brakes like this one . So on the way back home I blocked the rear wheel unintentional, I was very surprised and blocked myself and slammed to the ground at 50 km/h (no serious injuries).

Quite embarassing...Now I decided to learn to drive seriously, because after all it's fun. I'm keen on riding a heavier bike but only when I've become a semi-pro on the 125. But I don't intend to break any speed records (at least that's what I say right now ).

The fastest I've been on the R1 was 140mph, it will do faster but I keep running out of road.

What I really need is a track close by for the streetbike, that way nobody gets upset when I speed and oncoming traffic is eliminated.

When I ride dirt I wear full gear, I look like a football player. This is because I crash alot, mostly from trying stupid stunts. Dirt bikes definately satisfy the need for speed even though they are "relatively" slow. They give you a good sense of accel, decel, positive and negative G's.

I think I like riding dirt more because traffic on the street can be dangerous and you are visible to many other drivers that object (understandibly) to my riding where as on the dirt nobody cares how fast you go.

The fastest I've been on the R1 was 140mph, it will do faster but I keep running out of road.

Was it stable at 140? No tendency to speed wobble? This is what always scared me about high speeds on bikes. Even if the situation was otherwise safe and sane, if they start to wobble at high speed it can end in a flash. This happened to a cop, a friend of the family's who was in a high speed chase on a Moto Guzzi. He lived but for a long time he probably wished that he hadn't.

Your worst crash? Also, have you ever tried desert biking? This allows for dirt bikes and 100 mph+. Of course the relative 100 mph cacti are a bugger.

When I had my 240Z going that fast [maybe a little faster, between 140 and 145 I think...not sure when this happened exactly...the front end became so light that I effectively had no steering. I could turn the wheel but nothing happened.

So on the way back home I blocked the rear wheel unintentional, I was very surprised and blocked myself and slammed to the ground at 50 km/h (no serious injuries).

Introductory off-road motorcycle concepts: Large gauze bandages, H2O2, white medical tape, splints, alcohol [for drinking after the injury]. If injured while riding in desert, to be applied by four or five girls in bikinis.

Introductory off-road motorcycle concepts: Large gauze bandages, H2O2, white medical tape, splints, alcohol [for drinking after the injury]. If injured while riding in desert, to be applied by four or five girls in bikinis.

that would be a mirage huh?? if not, i better get a bike and a ticket to the Sahara!!!

Get your tickets. You don't think I crashed every time without really meaning to, do you? A simple scenario: I was sixteen with many friends that were in their early twenties. Their girl friends had girl friends that came along and it was one big party... Tough huh?

Edit: I recommend the Mojave Desert. You won't find many girls in bikinis in the Sahara

When I had my 240Z going that fast [maybe a little faster, between 140 and 145 I think...not sure when this happened exactly...the front end became so light that I effectively had no steering. I could turn the wheel but nothing happened.

That's it: You've crossed the line! You were flying! Congratulations.

No, seriously, that must have been sort of an awkward feeling. You didn't have a front spoiler?

About the only reckless speeding I've done is on my bike - that's bicycle, not motor cycle. There was a nice long stretch of smooth road with a slight decline. It was perfect. Used to get up into the low 50's with some drafting.

No, seriously, that must have been sort of an awkward feeling. You didn't have a front spoiler?

No spoiler. The highway was wide enough that I was able to drift back and forth across the road without a problem, which is what the car wanted to do, but if I tried to compensate there was no response. Really, looking back with what I know now, I am not sure if this was caused by the aerodynamics of the high speed, perhaps due to a slight cross wind for example, or if I actually had less traction on the tires. In either case. to lose steering at 145 is an interesting experience. Also, I have been trying to remember...I might have hit 155 before backing off but I'm just not sure any longer. This was done in 1979. I know that my speedometer was good to 160 and I think I had it nearly pegged before common sense took over.

I once got in a race with a middle aged gent who was driving a Mazda RX7. We stayed neck and neck up to about 120 but then he started nudging away from me. Since I was already out of my torque range I knew that he had won so I started backing off. He just kept going. When I got down to about 80 or so, two Ca Highway Patrol cars passed me like I wasn't moving. By the time I caught up with the RX7, and the cops, my rival was standing outside of the car in handcuffs. I proceeded to the nearest exit and hid under the overpass for an hour or so. I guess that was a good race to lose.

Was it stable at 140? No tendency to speed wobble? This is what always scared me about high speeds on bikes. Even if the situation was otherwise safe and sane, if they start to wobble at high speed it can end in a flash. This happened to a cop, a friend of the family's who was in a high speed chase on a Moto Guzzi. He lived but for a long time he probably wished that he hadn't.

Your worst crash? Also, have you ever tried desert biking? This allows for dirt bikes and 100 mph+. Of course the relative 100 mph cacti are a bugger.

When I had my 240Z going that fast [maybe a little faster, between 140 and 145 I think...not sure when this happened exactly...the front end became so light that I effectively had no steering. I could turn the wheel but nothing happened.

I installed an Ohlins steering damper to tame the bars, it wobbles without it on crappy roads.

Not much desert racing in New England but we do have old railroad beds which does the trick for high speed stuff.

Luckily I've ridden away from most crashes so I dont have a worst crash but the scariest was when two deer ran onto the RR bed when I was topped out. When they saw me coming they froze initially then one took off left and one right, I went right between them missing by inches.